Electric vaporizer



Nov. 11, 1924. H I 1,514,682

. w LSON ELECTRIC VAPORI ZER Filed May 5, 1923 Patented Nov. 11, 1924. v

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

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ELECTRIC 'V'AIPOBIZEB.

Application filed Kay 3; 1923. Serial 110. 686,279.

izers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an inhaling apparatus and more particularly toan improvement in what is known as electric va par-inhalers in which itis desirable to vaporize a medicated liquid or solid.

The object of the invention is to provide a suificient volume ofcontinuous hot vapor by heating a quantity of medicated liquid orsemi-solid to vaporize the same.

This inhaler is employed for the relief of inflammatory afi'ections ofthe respiratory tract, as well as for the local application of heat toexternal portions of the body, such as the nose, eyes and ears, or tolimited areas of the skin.

which the inhaler can be used. Toobtain this result I employ a removablevapor guide whereby the vapor may be inhaled to secure its mosteflicient therapeutic efi'ect. This guide is in the form of a bell or00- noid which has the additional function of may be discarded and anewone inserted in its place when the apparatus is to be used by anotherperson so as to prevent the transmission of infection from one persontoanother in the ordinary treatment of acute diseases of the respiratorytract.

A further object is to provide means whereby the entire heating surfaceof the heating element may be utilized for vaporizing the medicatedliquid. This means is especially useful when the supply of medicatedliquid in the reservoir is low when under ordinary circumstances, the'heating element would only heat the liquid coming in direct contact withthe surface of the heating element But with my arrangement the liquidwill be brought in contact Fig. 2.

In the emploympnt of this inhaler by diiferent persons it is desirableto provide a sanitary method by a with the entire heating surface bycapillary action thereby utilizing the maximum numbeg of heating unitsin vaporizing the liqu1 In the drawings:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of my apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fi 4\is an elevational view of thecollapsi 1e and detachable bellshaped or conoidal vapor guide.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

This apparatus consists of an outer barrel a in which is inserted areservoir 6 the walls of which are spaced from, the walls of the barrel,and a heat insulating material-0 inserted in the space between the wallsto prevent the outer barrel from becoming too hot for handling. Securedwithin the reservoir, as shown in F ig: 2, is a sleeve 0? in which theheating element e is inserted, thus the walls of the sleeve d form theheating surface of the heating element.

The sleeve d is provided with a flange portion 7 at the bottom the saidflange portion being welded or soldered to the side wall of thereservoir to form a bottom for the reservoir while the upper end of thesleeve is closed thereby preventing any of the liquid from coming indirect contact with the resistance coils.

The heating element consists of a fibre plug surrounded by a metalsleeve h, the said plug and sleeve adapted to fit into the extensionformedby the wall of the reservoir below the flange f. The iibreplug isprovided with a brass core z' in which the heating element is adapted tobe screwed. One end of the resistance coil 10 makes a contact with themetal shell 9' which supports the shell is of non-conducting material,around which is wound the resistance coil 10. The other end of theresistance coil is secured to a pin m suitably insulated from the shelly. This permits the resistance element to be unscrewed from the plug andsleeve when these parts are slipped out after the set screw m isremoved. The electric cord n enters the barrel, one wire connected to ascrew 0 incontact with the brass core 2', the other wire in contact withthe spring member 2) which is adapted towntact with thepin m when theheating element is screwed in place, thus completing the circuit throughthe resistance coil of the heating element.

Surrounding and in contact with the sleeve d I provide a wick g as shownin Fig. 2 and near the top of the reservoir I secure an invertedperforated cap 1' preferably dished as shown. In filling the reservoir Imerely pour medicated liquid jnto the top of the reservoir through theperforated dished cap or place the semi-solid medicated material in thereservoir. The liquid or semi-solid is then contained in that part ofthe reservoir between the walls and the wick, being in contact with thewick at all times. Obviously the wick will become saturated with theliquid or melted semi-solid and the liquid will rise by capillary actionand a thin film of liquid will be in contact with the heating surface ofthe heating element over the entire surface. --This construction willenable the liquid to extract the maximum number of heating unitsfurnished by the electric. heating element when the current isturned on.vaporized and the'vapor will rise and pass through the perforated capand thence upwardly out of the barrel into the sanitary removable vaporguide now to be'described.

'In order to obtain the most sanitary method for employing the inhalingapparatus by' each individual, I provide a paper or fiber bell or conoids which is adapted to be detachably secured in the end of the barrel toact as a vapor guide. The end of the bell or conoid is adapted tocontact with that portion of the body which is diseased, therebyallowing the medicated vapor to come in contact with the infected parts.

This sanitary paper or fiber hell or conoid is manufactured very cheaplyand can be destroyed after being once used and another one can beinserted. in the end of the bar rel when the next persondesires to usethe apparatus, thereby preventing any danger of the transmission ofinfection from one 50 person to another.

.Thisbell ,or conoid is manufactured and is arranged to lie flat asshown in Fig.5 but when thesame is inserted. in the upper end of thebarrel a it will be caused to flare as shown in Fig. 1. The upper edgeof the bell or conoid is preferablcut as I have shown to fit the contouro a persons face when flared so that little of the vapor may be lost.Obviously this hell or conoid can be cut in any desired form so as tofit any portion of the body.

It. will be noted that the reservoirand the closed end sleeve whichsurrounds the resistance coil are entirely separate from the resistancecoil. Thefresistanoe coil, to-

. tain disorders.

The liquid will be gether with the binding posts, are assembled into thereservoir by simply slipping the fiber plug 9 in place and applying thesaid screw ."c. When the plug and the resistance coil are removed, theresistance coil may be unscrewed from the brass core 2 of the plug. Thisprovides an easy means of cleaning the resistance element or replacingit without in any way disturbing it may be also used to generate plainsteam for use under a'hood in treatment .of cer- The apparatus isadapted to stand on end so it can be used on a table and it can also begrasped in, the hand and used in this way due to the fact that the hotcontents of the reservoir are insulated from the outside of the barrel.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a container for holding. a quantity ofvaporizablema'terial for therapeutic purposes, means for vaporizing thesame, and a removable vapor guide 'detachably se- (gugid to said barrelfor the -purpose speci- 2. In an apparatus for the purpose specified,the combination of a barrel provided with a container therein forholding a quantity of vaporizable material for therapeutic purposes,means for vaporizing the same, and a removable fiber vapor guidedetachably secured to said barrel for the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose 'speci fied, the combinationof abarrel provided with a container for holding a quantity of vaporizablematerial having therapeutic properties, means for vaporizln the same anda'removable paper vapor guide detachably secured to the said barrel forthe purpose specified. j

4:. In an apparatus for the purpose specitied, the combination of abarrel provided with a container for holding a quantity of vaporizablematerialfor therapeutic purposes, means for vaporizing the same and aremovable bell-shaped vapor guide detachfied, the combination of a barreprovided ably secured to said barrel for the purpose with a containerfor holding a quantity of vaporizable material for therapeutic purposes,means for vaporizing the same, and a removable conoid acting as a guidefor the vapor and detachably secured to said barrel for the purposespecified.

6. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a container for holding a quantity of vaporizablematerial for therapeutic purposes, means for vaporizing the same, and aremovable fiber bell or conoid acting as a guide for the vapor anddetachably secured to said barrel for the pu ose specified.

7 In an apparatus for tlie purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a reservoir for holding a quantity of vaporizablematerial for therapeutic purposes, means for vaporizing the same, and aremovable sanitary vapor guide detachably secured to said barrel for thepurpose speci- 8. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, thecombination of a reservoir for holding a quantity of vaporizablematerial, a heating element entirely enclosed by a wall and containedwithin the reservoir, and a wick in contact with the wall enclosing thesaid heating element for raising the liquid by capillary action intocontact With the surface of the said wall.

9. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of areservoir for holding a quantity of vaporizable material, a heatingelement contained within the reservoir, a sleeve forming a stove or gridabout the heating elementand a wick surrounding the sleeve and incontact with the same and with the vaporizable material saidwick'raising the liquid by capillary action into contact with the gridfor the purpose of vaporizing the liquid.

10. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of areservoir for holding a quantity of vaporizable material, an outerbarrel the walls of which are spaced and suitably insulated from thewalls of the reservoir and a heating element contained within the centerof the reservoir for vaporizing liquid.

11. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel, a reservoir contained within the barrel, heat insulation betweenthe reservoir and the barrel, and an electric resistance elementprovided with a suitable enclosing wall rising in the centre of thebarrel and separated from the barrel both by the contents of thereservoir and by the heat insulating material between the reservoir andthe barrel.

12. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel in the form of a hollow member which can be set on end or graspedin the hand, a reservoir separated from the barrel by heat insulatingmaterial but contained therein and arranged to contain vaporizablematerial, and means for heating the vaporizing material, the heatgenerating from such means being insulated from the outside of thebarrel by said insulating material.

13. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a reservoir therein and a closed end sleeve risingin the center of the reservoir to form a grid, and an electricalresistance element removably secured in the end of the barrel and in thehollow interior of th closed end sleeve. 7

14. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a reservoir therein, having rising therein a closedend sleeve forming a grid to heat the contents of the reservoir, a plugthat can be fitted into the end of the barrel removably for carrying theelectric connections, and an electric resistance element removablyfitted into the plug and adapted to be projected into the hollow spaceformed between the closed end sleeve when the plug is in place. I

15. In an apparatus for the purpose specified, the combination of abarrel provided with a reservoir having therein a closed end sleeve, aremovable plug fitting into the end of the barrel and having a metalcore, the

said plug and core arranged to carry the electrical connections, and anelectric resistance element screwed into the 'metal core and arranged tobe projected into the hollow interior of the closed end sleeve when theplug is in place.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si ature.

HAROLD VIL ON.

